Use of Near-infrared Imaging in Surgical Accuracy for Feline Soft-Tissue Sarcomas

The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine is conducting a study to determine if near-infrared imaging can improve the surgeon’s ability to see cancer and cancer margins during surgery to remove feline soft tissue sarcomas.

Clean surgical margins are vital in both veterinary and human surgical oncology to minimize the chance of local recurrence. We are using an FDA approved near-infrared imaging agent and novel imaging systems to identify the tumor and its margins during surgery.

This imaging adds no more than 15 minutes to a surgical procedure and the study has been evaluated and approved by the University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

Eligibility:

Cats with soft tissue sarcoma that require surgery and have no evidence of tumor spread. Ideally cats should have recent blood work and good quality thoracic radiographs to rule out metastatic disease for inclusion in the study.

Benefits:

As an incentive for pet owners, eligible cats will have their surgical treatment subsidized by $1000.

To Enroll:

Please contact Dr. David Holt either by telephone at 215-898-3909 or e-mail: dholt@vet.upenn.edu.